MAKING MINIATURE BOOKS CLASSES
These materials, tools and equipment are for the Poison and Healing Books classes.
You will need:
A4 90gsm tracing paper (if it is a little more or less than this, eg. 80, 70, 60 or 100, 110 gsm, it doesn’t matter too much)
Big bulldog clip: These are heavy duty stationery items to clamp/hold lots of paper together, as in the photo
Wooden clamp desirable: if you don’t have, we will make use of what you have, ie the bulldog clip which should be easily available as it is a stationery item
Drawing equipment: Ruler, pencil, pencil sharpener, eraser/rubber
Needle and thread and scissors for hand sewing. Ordinary clothes repair thread is fine as it is so small; I used the free sewing kits I’ve stashed over the years from various hotels
Beeswax (optional but desired): or a beeswax candle
White glue, or PVA glue, or children’s glue, or Elmer’s glue
Thin cotton muslin fabric, say 10 x 10 cm (roughly, your book will be smaller than this). Any other thin or lightweight canvas fabric will do
And for the cover:
Gum arabic (liquid form, just in case - Winsor and Newton sell)
Gold watercolour paint or shell gold if you have and tiny brushes eg Clouds brush
Saddlelac (will discuss in class)
Methylated spirits or ethanol
Side view of a bulldog clip. What are these called in other countries?
This is a Bulldog clip. It even says 'bulldog clip' if you look closely! Might be a UK thing.
Those free little sewing kits you get in hotels. Black one is from a 3 star hotel in Thailand and the transparent top one from a 4 star hotel in Turkey. The Thai hotel one actually had better thread. Fabric/sewing scissors and beeswax.
The white glue - PVA in the UK, Elmer's in the US, children's glue or white glue. PVA is pretty standard glue.
Thin canvas fabric or whatever you have.
I've tried to stick to generic and easily available materials that you can get pretty much anywhere in the world (I hope) and designed it like this for a reason... you'll see!
I think you should already have everything at home; not everyone has a workshop accessible so don't worry too much about the wooden clamp; the hardest thing is probably the bulldog clip!